Toyota Tacoma Short Bed DC and FWC Finch

[cobblecrazy]

That is a sweet looking rig! I'm taking delivery of an ATC Bobcat in a few weeks, so I know that anticipation phase very well. I see you're in NV. I'm in Reno, so maybe we'll see each other running around. Do you belong to Wander the West.com? I'm sure they'd all like to see your rig as well.

Not sure I'm the most impatient person on the planet, but I'm sure I'd give most a run for their money... In the same area as well, so we'll probably pass each other by at some point. I've been on their website more times than I can count. Great rigs there, and some really interesting stories.

 

[cobblecrazy]

During the process I had noticed FWC utilized an internal tie down system. On a previous camper I had the ones in front connected to a removable bar attached to the frame and the rear was attached to the sides of the bumper. Didn't like them, secure yes, but I felt the front one could become problematic in the off-road arena. I was able to see the rear internal bar /tie down developed by FWC in Woodland, but the front bar they used would not work for the short bed due to the wheel well positioning. Again, while reading Rocky Mountain FWC's Facebook page I saw they had come up with an alteration that allowed the Finch to use internals up front as well.

Once again Mike stepped up and got the ball rolling to at least see if it was possible to do the same for my build. During one trip to Woodland, they had received a front bar from RMFWC, and I met with the owner, Tom, the production manager, and we crawled around in my truck to see the fit and placement with our own eyes. Lots of conversation, some head nodding, and the stamp of approval was given.

The 17th finally arrived which found me, sans shell and tailgate, at the installation location. I must apologize, but in the giddiness state I was experiencing at that point, the cameras I brought sat unused while I played with latches and...well, you know. I'd wished to have gotten pics of the bars installed, but if you go to the pics on RMFWC Facebook page you'll be able to find them. Mine look no different.

A few stops to show off the camper followed, and finally it was home.



I'd have to say, other than the obvious about the quality, the first thing that really caught my eye was just how well it fit on my truck.



The overhang on each side is about 1 1/2", and the rear sits out about 8" from the end of the bumper. FWC covers the back end during the build, so the part you see has a really nice diamond plating (this is for the Silver Spur edition, the regular color is a white covering) that just adds to the "finished" look. There is no "gap" on the sides that has to be covered up with panels, or anything else that looks out of place. I could still access my small storage compartments built into my bed through some small panels that are utilized for getting to the shackles.

 

[cobblecrazy]

Don't know if anyone's seen "Tiny House Nation" on television, but the basic theme is a family moving from a traditional house into a sub 500 sq ft house (usually in the 200 sq ft range). At the beginning the host helps the family get "ready" by downsizing all their stuff. In some respects, this is the mindset I was going for when outfitting the camper.

The one thing I hate the most is to have to continually move things just to get in and make a sandwich, or to grab something out of a cupboard.

There are two nice cabinets under the sink/stove. The one on the left is the smaller of the two, and I made the decision this is where I was going to keep my plates, pots, pans, and the bigger utensils (there is one drawer that is pre designed for silverware) like the spatula. A trip to Home Depot helped.

Just getting into the camper was though provoking as I usually have a hitch mounted bike rack installed so it needed to be fairly small but get high enough to get into the camper with the 3" of lift added to the Tacoma. A $10 work step works great and fits just right between the bench and cabinet.



Pic of containers in cabinet.



A circular tool holder was perfect for the utensils and is easily brought out when we make camp, but is still accessible if needed during a roadside stop.



A long, narrow, tool holder was next for the plates, bowls, etc., and, again, it can be partially pulled out, or fully pulled out and taken outside to a picnic table.



Both bags ran me a total of $13. There is still enough space behind the bags for a few pots, a fry pan, and a portable K-cup coffee press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAL7La5KOqU

The other cabinet is bigger, and since I did not go with a hot water heater there is a tremendous amount of room (basically in an L shape). I went to Walmart and purchased two small plastic containers - just under $2 each - and one contains breakfast things, the other contains lunch items.

 

[fjrohrs]

Great looking rig! Would you mind going into detail on your decision of FWC over the teardrop? Thanks

 

[cobblecrazy]

Some way to shower was the next consideration. While we try to get around to a campground of some type that has some type of shower facility every 3 or so days there are just some times when you need it more often. I read a thread somewhere that talked about using one of the portable hand pump spray bottle (the kind for spraying pesticides and such) as a shower. I thought about the 1 or 2 gallon size, and I considered taking one of the two propane tanks out of the cabinet (there are two - 3 gallon tanks, but only one can be connected at one time). The size was almost perfect, but the loss of the propane tank did not seem an equal exchange.

I have a free standing portable shower/toilet room that folds down into a nice flat circle and pops up in seconds. I've used a dromedary bag with a small hose in the past, and it still works fine, but sometimes the grime needs a little power spray. Again, I went to Home Depot.

I found a small 1.7L spray bottle that I could hook directly to one of the exterior steps. The cool thing was a small clip on top allows you to push down the spray lever and lock it into place allowing for a freehanded shower. The water can be controlled from mist to full power stream, and a few pumps can keep it going for a little while. It was easy to pump during the shower as well. I have used it full cold water, and I have also heated up some water in the stove and filled the container for a more "normal" shower.

I keep the container under the bench seat, just inside the doorway, as there is an open space specifically made to put (more often than not) a small port a potty of some type. It's easy to grab after a run, or a mountain bike ride, to wash off the trail grime without having to muck up the interior of the camper.



A $5 remedy...

 

[cobblecrazy]

Great looking rig! Would you mind going into detail on your decision of FWC over the teardrop? Thanks

I really liked the teardrop, and I think SoCal Teardrops makes one of the best out there. I found this one used and I got the frame/suspension upgraded from it's original "road" configuration (although I think they do something to the body in a specific off road build). I was really intrigued with having a base camp and have my truck for exploration.

Theory and real life sometime don't get you to the same place. Now I want to make it clear I think these teardrops are great, and I went to the factory down in LA, as well as, I went to their rep in Petaluma. I liked the owners and the quality is top notch. In the long run it just did not work for me.

The downsides to the teardrop for me included: 1) Outside cooking. While it was fine for some times, the mosquitos in the mountains made this an adventure, and you were at the mercy of the weather at all times - sometimes it was good, sometimes not. 2) Just something else to go wrong. Two more tires, two sets of springs/shocks, hubs, brakes, frame, etc. I was in the process of making the tires the same as my truck so a spare would work for both so at least I would not need an extra tire to tote around. 3) No heater and an inadequate fan. These are things that can be changed, but at a cost. If you choose one thing, get the Fantastic Fan, not the small 6" round one. I don't do well in the heat of the summer and there was not enough air flow for me through the small windows and the small fan. I had tried several ways to come up with a "screen door" of sorts, but I had not perfected a design before I sold the unit. The heater is something that is - more often than not - for my wife's comfort, but it also makes fall/winter camping a lot more comfortable. 4) Being able to get up and move around. While there is not much room in the FWC you can still stand up, move back and forth, and even crawl up onto the bed while the other relaxes on the bench seat.

The FWC is the first RV I've had that actually has a screen door. The combo of the Fantastic Fan and the screen door worked flawlessly to regulate heat inside the camper (hottest we have been in was the 90's during our last trip). The heater has a controller that can be set to a particular temp and forget it. I know my wife's comfort level so it was easy to set it for her before we went to bed and I did not have to make any more adjustments during the night for her. I was able to regulate my comfort level by opening the window over on my side of as I like it a little cooler at night.

I'd say one of the biggest reasons for the change was the ability to "move on". When we went through the pros and cons prior to making our choice one thing kept coming back around. Our best trips have been "on the go" type adventures if those are the right words. While we have spent a few days in some places, we are always looking down the road, around the next corner, etc. I have a hard time paying for more than one night at a campground (in places I am not familiar with) as I always seem to find cool things a few miles away. The "basecamp" we thought we might like seemed to really take a back seat to the next adventure side of our travels.

I chose the FWC for their quality, reliability, and fitment to my truck. How many old ones do you see running around - lots. How many do you see discarded on someones backyard - almost never. How easy is it to find one on Craigslist - limited at best and you'd better be ready to buy if you still find one available.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[austintaco]

I like this build. I spend so much time looking at specific vehicle modifications for my setup, I don't always have time to look at other types of campers. Something like this has always intrigued me. Looking at it though brings up one issue, and maybe this is something addressed in other FWC type builds. The back of the camper is essentially your bumper at the moment, right? If you could somehow extend the truck frame, and support it, and put a modular swingout on it, that would offer you protection and a place for lots of other items. Just a thought. Possible?

 

[cobblecrazy]

I like this build. I spend so much time looking at specific vehicle modifications for my setup, I don't always have time to look at other types of campers. Something like this has always intrigued me. Looking at it though brings up one issue, and maybe this is something addressed in other FWC type builds. The back of the camper is essentially your bumper at the moment, right? If you could somehow extend the truck frame, and support it, and put a modular swingout on it, that would offer you protection and a place for lots of other items. Just a thought. Possible?

Aluminess makes a nice swingout bumper that would certainly work, and at a lighter weight than what you would think (I had a system on my Sportsmobile). I'm sure any good fabricator could also make something that would fit your needs. The downside, however, is just something else to open to get into your camper, something else to figure out how to swing past my bikes/bike rack, and simply just more weight. I was reading an article a friend wrote on a couple traveling internationally. They had significantly pared down their equipment to what you really need. I went on a backpacking trip recently where I pared down my load considerably (I am a consummate overpacker), and the experience was much more rewarding - especially when we went over 10K ft twice one of the days. In our most recent trip with the FWC, I added my Yakima top box to the roof, and I was able to move those little annoying things out of the isle, on the bench seat, and even from the cab of the truck. Some stuff I took out at the end of the day making camp, some I left in the box. I was still able to easily get the roof up, and it was not in the way like a rear swing out.

I have actually been more interested in a roof rack for the cab of the truck. Baja Rack makes a nice flat rack http://www.bajarack.com/tacoma2-ut with an integrated fairing in front that bolts to the roof using the factory holes in the rain gutters. According to a recent e-mail I got from them it only goes above the cab of the truck about 2 1/2" on the side and 1" at the highest point of the cab (they list 4.5" on the website, but that does not appear to be the case). There would be enough room on the rack in front of the camper to allow for a Roto style gas can, small generator, or even some bags. Again, out of the way of the back, and the naked rack/fairing will decrease the amount of wind going between the cab and cabover part to maybe get some gas mileage back (best I got on the trip was a little above 19 mpg and worst was about 15).

 

[fjrohrs]

I really liked the teardrop, and I think SoCal Teardrops makes one of the best out there. I found this one used and I got the frame/suspension upgraded from it's original "road" configuration (although I think they do something to the body in a specific off road build). I was really intrigued with having a base camp and have my truck for exploration.

Theory and real life sometime don't get you to the same place. Now I want to make it clear I think these teardrops are great, and I went to the factory down in LA, as well as, I went to their rep in Petaluma. I liked the owners and the quality is top notch. In the long run it just did not work for me.

The downsides to the teardrop for me included: 1) Outside cooking. While it was fine for some times, the mosquitos in the mountains made this an adventure, and you were at the mercy of the weather at all times - sometimes it was good, sometimes not. 2) Just something else to go wrong. Two more tires, two sets of springs/shocks, hubs, brakes, frame, etc. I was in the process of making the tires the same as my truck so a spare would work for both so at least I would not need an extra tire to tote around. 3) No heater and an inadequate fan. These are things that can be changed, but at a cost. If you choose one thing, get the Fantastic Fan, not the small 6" round one. I don't do well in the heat of the summer and there was not enough air flow for me through the small windows and the small fan. I had tried several ways to come up with a "screen door" of sorts, but I had not perfected a design before I sold the unit. The heater is something that is - more often than not - for my wife's comfort, but it also makes fall/winter camping a lot more comfortable. 4) Being able to get up and move around. While there is not much room in the FWC you can still stand up, move back and forth, and even crawl up onto the bed while the other relaxes on the bench seat.

The FWC is the first RV I've had that actually has a screen door. The combo of the Fantastic Fan and the screen door worked flawlessly to regulate heat inside the camper (hottest we have been in was the 90's during our last trip). The heater has a controller that can be set to a particular temp and forget it. I know my wife's comfort level so it was easy to set it for her before we went to bed and I did not have to make any more adjustments during the night for her. I was able to regulate my comfort level by opening the window over on my side of as I like it a little cooler at night.

I'd say one of the biggest reasons for the change was the ability to "move on". When we went through the pros and cons prior to making our choice one thing kept coming back around. Our best trips have been "on the go" type adventures if those are the right words. While we have spent a few days in some places, we are always looking down the road, around the next corner, etc. I have a hard time paying for more than one night at a campground (in places I am not familiar with) as I always seem to find cool things a few miles away. The "basecamp" we thought we might like seemed to really take a back seat to the next adventure side of our travels.

I chose the FWC for their quality, reliability, and fitment to my truck. How many old ones do you see running around - lots. How many do you see discarded on someones backyard - almost never. How easy is it to find one on Craigslist - limited at best and you'd better be ready to buy if you still find one available.

Hope this answers your question.

Thanks for your insight. I think we have a large decision ahead of us and I'm jealous of how close you are to both SoCal and FWC.

 

[brianjwilson]

Once again, great looking setup. The fitment of the finch and eagle is just right.


After a 5 week trip in the jeep with the Ursa Minor top, I significantly cut back on what I carry with me too. But then we had a daughter and I couldn't figure out how to do it comfortably with such little space. I'm sure there is a lot of shuffling gear in a four wheel camper but at least there is room to carry it!

 

[cobblecrazy]

Once again, great looking setup. The fitment of the finch and eagle is just right.


After a 5 week trip in the jeep with the Ursa Minor top, I significantly cut back on what I carry with me too. But then we had a daughter and I couldn't figure out how to do it comfortably with such little space. I'm sure there is a lot of shuffling gear in a four wheel camper but at least there is room to carry it!

Thanks Brian. Did you take a look at this FWC http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...2-Four-Wheel-Campers-quot-Eagle-quot-For-Sale Might work for your needs.

Didn't really have big issues with shuffling after a few days. There is actually a lot of room between the bench seat back and the wall/window. This was a great place to store our laptop, dirty clothes bag, a small daypack, two small pillows and a few odds and ends that always seem to be underfoot. We have down sleeping bags that stayed up on the bed and are crushed down easily when the top comes down so that was not an issue. The storage under the bench contained all our clothes, towels, and toiletry bags. The two things that seemed to be always in the way were some books and my camera gear. We are coming up with some solutions for those things.

 

[Willman]

Love your setup. Not sure if I missed this in an above post, hows the MPG's/power with the FWC on?

 

[brianjwilson]

Thanks Brian. Did you take a look at this FWC http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...2-Four-Wheel-Campers-quot-Eagle-quot-For-Sale Might work for your needs.

Didn't really have big issues with shuffling after a few days. There is actually a lot of room between the bench seat back and the wall/window. This was a great place to store our laptop, dirty clothes bag, a small daypack, two small pillows and a few odds and ends that always seem to be underfoot. We have down sleeping bags that stayed up on the bed and are crushed down easily when the top comes down so that was not an issue. The storage under the bench contained all our clothes, towels, and toiletry bags. The two things that seemed to be always in the way were some books and my camera gear. We are coming up with some solutions for those things.

I saw the eagle, but I'm still waiting for our house to sell and close on the other before I can do anything. More than likely we'll order a new fleet with forward dinette. You lose the under couch storage but for us it was a lot more comfortable than a side dinette, and we liked the layout more than the couch. The main downside I see is that there is nowhere to sit with the bed made, but everything else is fully accessible. And of course the wife loves the idea of being able to shower inside when we're somewhere with limited privacy or when it's cold out.

It probably makes more sense to visit the factory. I've sat in almost every configuration of four wheel camper briefly at rv/trade shows, but not everything in one place, and there are usually too many people waiting to really move around and compare the different setups.

 

[cobblecrazy]

Love your setup. Not sure if I missed this in an above post, hows the MPG's/power with the FWC on?

The best I got on a trip through the Sierras to the north coast of California was a little over 19. The worst coming through the coastal mountains toward the Trinity Alps was between 15 and 16. That was loaded down, and I had a Yakima top box and my mountain bike on top. Past experience would give a 2 to 3 mpg increase without the stuff on top. If I were to average it out I would say 17 to 18 would be what to expect if you're carrying things on top. I had no issues with power on the hills. I easily pulled past most vehicles on even the toughest climbs.

I found between 55 and the low 60's to be the most economical. The truck seemed to run about 1600 to 1700 rpm on the flats and small hills, 2000 to 2300 rpm on slight hills, and between 2500 and 3500 on the really hard climbs if I really pressed the pedal. Of course any off-road driving affected it, and I would say the most costly was the windy road along the Lost Coast out of Ferndale as you were constantly on and off the gas pedal as well as going up/down some pretty steep sections.

I really think some type of fairing will make a difference by keeping the wind from hitting against the camper at least to some degree. Still deciding on the setup at this point.

 

[cobblecrazy]

We just got back from a week long trip along the north coast of California. The camper worked like a charm. We had some coastal winds along the way, but I did not notice any truck sway, or difficulty keeping it on the road, while we were driving, and when the camper was popped up there was no "accordion" action going on.

This was from the County campground at Mattole Beach.



And this was along the dirt road leading down the campground.



We are always trying to find dog friendly beaches, and this one was open for miles to our quite ecstatic hound...